Sighting of 4WD shifts search for killer

The hunt for the killer of German hitchhiker Birgit Brauer has switched to a small Taranaki farming locality on the opposite side of Egmont National Park from where her battered and stabbed body was found a week ago.

Police hope a second sighting of a Toyota Hilux at Cardiff, near Stratford, may lead them to the murderer.

A member of the public has told police they saw a dark-coloured four-wheel-drive about 5pm last Tuesday near Cardiff, roughly the same time Ms Brauer's body was found lying in bush at Lucys Gully.

Cardiff is about 5km west of Stratford and about 70km away on the south-eastern side of the park.

Detective Senior Sergeant Grant Coward said police had received several sightings of the vehicle but this was the first one after Ms Brauer was found with head injuries and a stab wound to the chest.

Police wanted to hear from anyone who saw the vehicle in or around Cardiff, Mr Coward said.

"We are confident it's the same vehicle. It's a very similar description."

The vehicle was spotted in a reserve off Opunake Rd, adjacent to the Waingongoro Stream, at that time. The reserve was not visible from the road, Mr Coward said.

"We're working long and hard to find that vehicle. The driver has had ample opportunity to come forward and hasn't. That person must know what happened to her."

It is described as a dark grey or black four-wheel-drive Toyota Hilux two-door vehicle. Police do not have a description of the driver.

A witness saw 28-year-old Ms Brauer get into a vehicle matching that description about 9.30am on Tuesday. She was on the side of State Highway 3 at Waitotara.

The sole witness of that sighting was unable to say whether there were one or two people in the wagon, Mr Coward said.

Yesterday, police set up a roadblock at the South Taranaki town in the hope of talking to motorists who may have seen Ms Brauer or the vehicle. They found at least two and will speak to them further.

Mr Coward said the vehicle type was fairly common and police were working their way through a list of "hundreds" in the Taranaki area.

Up to 50 officers are working on the homicide inquiry, part of which includes trying to find two backpacks: a 25-litre slate/black coloured Macpac Tekapo and a blue/black 65-litre Berghaus Antaeus.

Meanwhile arrangements are being made to have Ms Brauer's body flown back to Germany.

Mr Coward said it was believed her family planned to play a song by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa at her funeral.

They also want to thank New Zealanders, at a later date, for the support given to the homicide inquiry.

Meanwhile, Ms Brauer's friends in New Zealand have held their own memorial service.

About 35 people gathered on the shores of Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown on Monday night to quietly remember the popular backpacker with a song and candles.

Ms Brauer, who arrived in New Zealand in February, stayed in Queenstown for several months.

Anyone with information can call 0800 CRIMESTOP (0800 274-637).